Looking for a quiet, private, peaceful hideaway for the weekend or longer? You will
love The Best Little Cabin in Texas, hidden on 300+ acres in the middle of the
beautiful Lost Pines of Texas between Smithville and Bastrop, only one hour from Austin.

Our cabin, located on the highest point in the county, was completed in January of 2000
and offers its guests a memorable nature experience with plenty of native and migratory
birds, an occasional deer and possibly a wild turkey, fox or even a bobcat. You will
delight to the nightly, eerie yapping of the coyotes and the supurb star gazing because of
no city lights.

A walk through the woods

Guests love going for a walk in the woods at our cabin. We have 300+
acres which offer you plenty of space and privacy. The cabin is on property that has
been in the same family since the early 1800s and our guests are encouraged to walk, ride
(bring your bike) and enjoy the serenity of the area at their leisure. You are
encouraged to bring a cell phone as there is no phone on the premises.

The Best Little Cabin in Texas has two bedrooms, a double bed in
the Madam's room and a queen in the second bedroom. The cabin has two bathrooms.
There is a sleeper sofa in the living room to accommodate two more people.
Central air conditioning and heating keep the cabin comfortable in any
climate.

Miss Edna's four poster bed

Our name for the cabin, "The Best Little Cabin in Texas", comes from
the Broadway play and movie with a similar name which was inspired by the famous and
historic LaGrange's Chicken Ranch. The four poster bed shown above was the bed of
the last madam of the Chicken Ranch, Miss Edna. The master bedroom is appropriately
decorated in a way that honors the memory of the Chicken Ranch and its inhabitants.
(Be sure to check out the license in the bathroom!)

The owners of the cabin, Terry and Dianne James, are antique dealers and
have decorated the cabin with a great collection of antiques, some of which are priced for
sale.

The second bedroom, known as "Ode to the Toad", pays humorous
homage to our beloved local Endangered Species, the Houston Toad. This toad, about the
size of a silver dollar, mates during the late spring and makes one heck of a mating call.
May their numbers increase.

View across the dining area
to the living room

You will find the construction of our cabin comfortable, attractive and
interesting. The cabin's interior walls are of cedar. The exposed pine rafters
add an extra charm to the interior. Beautiful vinyl floors throughout the
living and kitchen area are a nice addition. In the photo above, the front and
back doors were left open to enjoy the gentle breeze that blows through the cabin.

The kitchen

The kitchen is fully stocked with spices, paper products, ice trays,
tabasco, and coffee. All utensils, dishes, pots and pans, dishwasher, microwave,
blender, etc. are all furnished, as well as an outdoor grill. Guests need only bring
what they intend to eat and drink. The counter has five stools, and a dining table
with chairs provides plenty of seating while eating. A washer and dryer are also
included for your convenience.

You will want to spend a lot of time on our comfortable full length deck
along the back of the cabin. Through the giant pine trees you will be able to look
over the Colorado River Valley to Smithville and beyond. Relax on the deck to enjoy
the gentle breezes and the sounds of nature at its finest. Have you ever taken a
nap in a hammock? Take a nap in our hammock and ponder what lies over life's next
hill. You will love it!

You might get a glimpse of the Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks that are
nesting somewhere nearby. These birds are quite rare for this area. The
beautiful Painted Bunting is only one of many birds residing in our woods.

Touring the Railroad Museum and Museum of Automobile History in Smithville

Touring the Bastrop County Historical Museum in Bastrop

See where the movie "Hope Floats" was filmed in Smithville

Dining at the local restaurants in Smithville and Bastrop

Fishing in Lake Bastrop

Take a nature walk through the woods near the cabin or in the parks

Hiking along the trails on the property

Visit the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa for dinner, golf and their canoe/kayak
operation on the Colorado River.

Visting with the 5 (and more to come) registered miniature donkeys in residence (and for
sale)

Comments from some of our guests:

WOW! What a beautiful, awesome, & warm place you have. The comfort of
home - then 5 steps out and all the wonder of nature. The ducks, squirrels, a deer,
turtle, wildflowers, pond, dewberries, pine trees, views, butterflies, .....on & on!
Thanks for all your hospitality. This was a great place for our honeymoon.
I'd recommend it to anyone. Heaven on earth....it starts here.

Each year my 2 sons and the spirit of our eldest, who recently passed on 5/20/01, have
spent Father's Day at a retreat away from our wives. Here, we relaxed, cooked steaks
over your fire pit, toasted to our lost son with fine wine and smoked our annual cigar on
your "Best Little Porch" & reminisced until the wee hours. Your
nostalgic decor, apparent great sense of humor and uplifting environment were a perfect
closure for our tragic past month. Thank you and bless you. - William O. Ash,
Colonel USAF Ret.

Your website is awesome but the cabin is paradise! This is truly the "Best
Little Cabin in Texas!" From the moment I saw your website, to my conversations
and email with Terry and Dianne, to our great weakend here, we have yet to be
disappointed! The quiet, comfort, and beauty of your cabin are well worth the price
of admission! We will most certainly be back to enjoy what is unquestionally a great
and unique place. - Robert & Heather Johnston

This Thanksgiving will always be a memorable one for me and my family due to the fact
that we enjoyed it together in your woods and in your cabin. The cabin and the
atmosphere you have created in it are great and made us feel comfortable immediately.
The view, the trees, the trails and the wildlife made the environment a great
calming escape from the usual city grind. Thanks. - Rob & Tracy Schreiner

What an idyllic way to spend St. Andrew's Day! We have had a most relaxing few
days exploring the wilderness and enjoying your comfortable Texan cabin. We'll have
some wonderful memories to take back to Scotland. - Audrey and Ian Gibb

The serenity and solitude is exactly what we needed. Thank you for providing such
a place to get away. Your flexibility with time & scheduling is much
appreciated. - Erin

The cabin is what we've been looking for-- we have searched for a wilderness cabin from
Texas to Canada, the one is the "Best". Saw lots of birds -- we do not
have the pileated woodpecker where we live. "Celebrating our 50th
Anniversary."

Another anniversary at the cabin - life just couldn't get any sweeter! - John
& Patricia

Thank you for building this cabin. We will return here to rejuvenate our souls
and drink up nature. We are blessed to have found you as we have been craving to
find this very thing. - Linda & Johnny

We always seem to mark our days by how long it is 'til our next visit. First we
count the weeks, then the days, then the hours. Just 3 more weeks. - Lisa,
Tip & Kayce

We are home, and we are already sad....the three brothers
are calling each other like little teenage girls to talk about what a wonderful time we
had! You two are amazing people, and we look forward to seeing you again
soon...thanks for allowing the Brothers Waterbury to remember what it is like to turn off
the TV and talk about things that matter! Our Mother looked down this week-end and
gleemed, loving the fact that we were all together and having such a wonderful time.
Thanks again for an amazing weekend and look for pictures to come. - Scott
Waterbury

Guests enjoying our pet donkeys.

Rates and Information:$160 per night for two people
$30 per night for each additional guestTwo Night Minimum Stay - Three Night
Minimum on Holidays
Please no smoking in the cabin and take extreme caution outside because of continuous
forest fire hazard.
Outside Pets Welcome

Warning! Staying at The Best
Little
Cabin in Texas may be habit forming.